Explosive.



UNITED s'rATns PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES r. onmnnf, or cmcaeo, rumors.

nxrmsrvln.

1 071 ,949, Specification Letters Patent.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEsF. OBn-fisu, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Imrovements in Explosives, of which the folowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in my potassium chlorate explosives and par- 10 ticularly to improvements in my potassium chlorate hydro-carbonaceous explosive setforth in my application filed June 3, 1912, bearing'SfN. 701,258; and the improve ment to {be particularly dealt with in this '15lappliv5ati'onconsists in a waterproof explosive made wholly (or essentially. wholly) of a. chlorate, a hydro-carbonaceous material or materials and a silicious material i gredients and othersof similar nature which .may be add'e dfar'e of not as vital impoFtance to theTexplosia e as the fundamental and materials. In a co-pending applic'atio 2o filed September 16, 1912, Ser. NQ=,720,459=%I1..

have explained another explosive consisting exclusively of chlo-rate and 'hydro carbo naceous materials; and this and the present explosive have practically the same objects,

There are many objects of the present invention; and I may mention the following as'being some of the most important: first, the reduction incest and increase in safety of manufacture without a reduction in ex- Qplosiveefliciency; Second, the use of common and. inexpensive'inaterials in the manufacture of the-explosive; third, the manufacture 'of-thej complete explosive ready for package bym one simple operation; fourth,

85 the practical non-'dehduesehceof the final product (this is an important feature as it means .no1 1-det -erioration in' presence of water and consequent safety) fifth, the elimination of -car bo-hydrates'comparatively ex- I 40 pensiye' -the' substitution of hydro --carbonaceo'us' materialscomparatively inexpensive; 'sixth', elimination of tackiness or stickiness, thus avoiding dangerous friction-both. -in mixinga'nd use; and seventh, the final provision of an explosive suitably plastic. for handling. in cartridge form, and water' p'roofin itself.--. The lastobjept is the primary andmost important one of this; carhpna'ceous aterial explosive; and it is. of very'gmat importance that the explosiye is Water-proof in'i'tself-by virtue (if-its essenex tialingnedients+and nee'ds no external or other application to render it prooi against .mois'turef 'fi The elimination o the carbohydrates,i-above noted, has severaledvan- .tage's, which may'nsa be considered objects Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

Application filed septexilber'le, 1912. Serial No. 720,458.

of my invention. In the first place, hydrocarbons are generally cheaper than carbohydrates; the hydro-carbons make for higher temperature and greater gas volume-therefore greater explosive energy; and the hydro-carbon explosive is safer tohandle on account of its lesser susceptibility to jar, vibration or shock.

In my application Ser. No. 701,258, filed June 3, 1912, I have set forth an explosive which contains a chlorate, a carbo-hydrate, a carbonaceous material and silioious material. vIn my presen-tcxplosive I employ only chlorate, carbonaceous materials and siliciouslhmtcrial as the base or fundamental of my explosive; I may-add'other ingredients, such aslpowdered charcoal or stone; coal, and ,ferrocyanid;.iof potassium, but'these in.

.11; Inf-have" exhaustively experimented with inc silicon and oxygen in combination are suitable for my explosive; and I may prefer to use silica on account of its availability and cheapness. The matter of choice of particularhydrocarbons has largely been influenced by uestions of manufacture. As

finallylecte (as indicated in th'e' following formulae) 'the hydro-carbons lend themselves largely to-ease in manufacture of'the explosive in a single simple mixing 0 eration; audit is these hydro-carbons w ich,

in connection with the other ingredients, make the whole composition water-proof initsel-f. 'B suitably selecting the hydro-carbons I e iminate entirely the necessity of granulating, drying, "insulating and water proofing preparatory to use; it only becomes neeessa to pack the lastic roductpinto a suitab e cartridge, w en it is ready for shipment and use, as will behereihafter p ained. I will now herewith give atypicalipra mule for-my explosive and-will explainin detail the menu acture; I will then'give a modi formula, adding some ingredients. 1 i .1 I explain the pertiqilar realoe ' sons for selecting the particular hydro-car-- bons set forth, explaining generally. how other hydro-carbons could be substituted for those chosen and still have the same reaction and more or less closely the same explosive efliciency.

The basis or fundamental of my explosive is preferably composed as follows:

Potassium chlorate 87.0parts Naphthalene 6. 5 Asphalt 6.5 Distillate 1. 5 Silicious material 44.0

I may vary this formula by adding to it a small amount of powdered stone coal or charcoal and a small amount of ferro-cyanid of potassium, so the formula .reads as follows:

In the process of manufacture of this preferred form of my explosive, I .first dissolve the asphalt and naphthalene in just suflicient distillate (ordinary engine distillate from asphalt base and of 50-51 Baum gravity being generally used)'to make the whole solution flow well. The quantity of distillate necessary for this solution may vary somewhat; but I have given a general fair average in the above tabulation. The asphalt is preferably provided in a crude oil product generally known as road oil which is the residue of crude oil after refining treatment to approximately 700 degrees F.' The road oil used by me in my explosive has generally contained ninety per cent. asphalt and ten per cent. other hydro carbon liquids; and, when the asphalt is usedv in'this form, the whole volume of road oil is mixed with the naphthalene and distillate to form a smoothly flowing fluid. The naphthalene used is preferably in the form of naphthalene salts, which is the im'-, pure, coarsely crystalline article of commerce known otherwise as crude naphthalene. The fluid is then in condition to mix well and thoroughly with the solid ingredients. The solid ingredients (the chlorate and silicious materials) are then mixed'together; and then the prepared liquid is mixed with the prepared solids ina single, special mixing machine which is frictionless and. nonconfined. In this connection I ma again mention the smooth, frictionless qua ities of my explosive; the mass will not create friction, in a machine as it slides smoothl over and around the mixing drum and gers. The amount of liquid-1n the prepared fluid and easily pressed into any" shape.

is just sufficient to give to the final product a plasticity which renders the final product easily handled and easily packed into cartridges. The final product is of somewhat the consistency of cheese, bgipg'easily Tout he si-licious material preferred by me is ordinary silica; but I have found equivalents which give much the same action as silica, such an equivalent being powdered brick dust, a silico-aluminous material.

Hydro-carbons other than those above set forth may be used in my combination without materially changing the essentials of the explosive combination; but the above described combination has not only the advantage of great explosive energy and efficiency, but also has the advantage of mixing simply to form a final, practically water-proof product of the desired con-' sistency. I have selected the combination above set forth first with regard to waterproof qualities of the final'product, and then largely on the grounds of simplicity of manufacture, and largely on the ground of cheapness; (Provided always that the efli ciency of the explosive is not lessened.)

Each of the selected ingredients is readily obtainable in sufiicient quantities to be entirely practicable of use for the large manufacture of an explosive.

I may use a small amount of powdered stone coal, or-charcoal for the process of transmitting flamethroughout the finished stick or cartridge of the. explosive. This powdered carbon is thoroughly mixedwith" the other ingredients so that it is uniformly distributed and will carry flame throughout the mass. The ferrocyanid of potassium may be added to change the speed of the...

detonation. I

p This form of'explosive has'fill of the advantages of the explosives heretofore set forth by me, and hasin addition the very. important advantage of being cheap and simple of manufacture. It is seen from the foregoing description that not only are the ingredients cheap and universally obtainable, but also the method of manufacture is extremely simple, requiring only a single mixing operation in a simple machine. When the explosive is finished it has a smooth water repelling surface; there is no stickiness or tackiness, and the mass of ex plosive ,is p..-actically water-proof. The mass is essentially homogeneous throughoutand uniformly plastic. It may be formed into any desired shape and may be cut very easily. It is non-deliquescent, the small deliquescency of he chlorate being bound in by the practically water-proof plastic mixture. The chlorate is the only sub stance in the powder which has any tendency whatever to take up water; the other \substances are water-proof in themselves.

formed Army rifle of thirty caliber without any efmercial dynamite. When Ordinary fuse will cause complete. and unfailing explosion when theexplosive-is confeet whatever. A double strength electric cap ,has caused ignition but not explosion. When ignited openly it burns ra idly but does not detonate. It ischemica y stable under all ordinary "temperatures and safe for transportation withinall reasonable and ordinary limits.- In energy of explosion it is classed as a high explosive,..giving results comparable with the highest grade of complaced in a hole it may be tamped indifierently without any fear of detonation; it hasno sensibility to'j shock or percussion. It .is not necessary to use a cap in detonating this explosive; an

fined, fgauging only' rapid combustion when e I t l- I In the following claim s1 seek to secure toimyself those combinations Whichmake a practically water-proof safe explosive manufactured in a simple'and safe manner in a single operation; produclng an explocaplet of this patent may be obtained for five cents sive practically water-proof in itself, of great explosive energy, safe to handle, nondete'riorating and capable of detonation by a common fuse when ignited.

Having described my invention, 1 claim 1. An explosive, comprising potassium chlorate, asphalt, crude oil distillate, and

silica. H V

2. An explosive, comprising potassium chlorate, naphthalene and asphalt dissolved in crude oildistillate, and silica; I

3. An explosive, comprising potassium chlorate, naphthalene and asphalt dissolved pin crude oil distillate, carbon in powdered form, and silica.

4. An explosive, comprising potassium chlorate, naphthalene and asphalt dissolved in crude oil distillate, powdered carbon, ferro-cyanid of potassium, and silica;

. 5. An explosive, comprising approxi-- mately potassium chlorate eighty seven parts, naphthalene six v and onejhalf asphalt six and one half art's, crudexoil distillate one andl'one' ha forty four parts.

" 6. An explosive, bomprisixig approxiparts, and silica nts mately,- jpota$ium vch'lorate eighty seven parts, na hthalene s'ixan'd one half arts,

asphalt s1x andone half parts, cru e oil distillate one and one half parts-powdered carbon twoparts, ferro-cyanidof potassium one" part, and silica forty...four parts.

. Iniwitness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed .dayof September 1912.

' JAMES .QlBRI'EN.

.W-itnesses: ..E1.woon H .-BARKELEW,

W. L. Connor,

any sunning tmmm of Patents;

Washington, D. 0.

.m ve 9th 

